Episode One Hundred and Thirty-Nine

The time limit arrived before we got too flustered.
Somehow, without speaking, we dried ourselves off and put on our underwear and yukata.
As I gathered my dried hair at the back of my head, I glanced over at Ibara.
Unusually for her, Ibara was trying to pull her fluffy hair up into an updo.

“I’ll help you.”

“Really? Yay!”

I urged her to sit on the chair and touched her long hair. It was still slightly damp, so I blew it dry with the hairdryer.
Through the mirror, I could see Ibara’s face, as if she were trying to suppress a ticklish sensation.
I braided her fine, silky hair. The feeling of her hair tickling my fingertips was pleasant.
　I twisted the braided hair into a neat bundle.
Her nape was exposed.
Her pale skin had taken on a faint peach hue, and somehow my chest began to ache.

“Hyah!”

“──Ah.”

I realised I’d been touching her with my fingers.

“Shigure-san, that tickles.”

“S-sorry.”

This sort of thing is no good, I reflected.
　Taking baths together was one thing; my inability to resist physical contact was another.
Each sweet act was surely causing Ibara pain.
Stirring desire while demanding restraint was contradictory.
I knew that.
Yet, I couldn’t hide my urge to touch Ibara.
Even after touching her so much just now, it felt insufficient already, and my hand reached out again.
　It was a bad tendency.
Knowing Ibara wouldn’t refuse if I asked only made it worse.
But.
Staring at my still, throbbing index finger, I thought.
…Ibara isn’t entirely blameless either.

†

My exit time came first, so I touched up my make-up in the changing room of the main bathhouse.
　I met up with Runa and the others, and we critiqued each other’s yukata patterns.
The conclusion settled on everyone being cute. We left the grounds and walked a little way.
Even in light clothing, the summer sun felt hot.
After walking along the asphalt for a while, the sound of drums reached us.
Turning a corner, the number of people’s backs suddenly increased.
It felt like a festival.

“What if someone tries to chat up Shigure-san?”

Ibara muttered something rather baffling.
I couldn’t help but tease her.

“Why not worry about yourself first?”

“I’m used to it.”

Used to it. Well, she probably is.

“If any riff-raff show up, it’s like this… like this, like this.”

“Kung fu?”

“And then like this.”

“I don’t get it, I don’t get it!”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Ibara’s mysterious movements.

If this were a manga, a real troublemaker might appear and Ibara would swoop in to save the day.
In reality, we avoided any such trouble and strolled leisurely among the food stalls.

“Look, Ame. A fox mask.”

Runa, in her vivid iris-patterned yukata, tugged at my sleeve.

“Oh… quite atmospheric, that.”

“Shall we buy it?”

“Well, buying it…”

It was astonishingly impractical. Then again, it was a festival, so perhaps that was to be expected.
　In the end, we bought a large bag of mini castella cakes shaped like bears and shared them between the four of us.
Surprisingly good for a festival stall – though saying that might be rude – they were generously buttery, moist, sweet, and delicious.
Perhaps that alone wasn’t enough, because the younger pair shared some pre-cut apple sweets.
Watching them huddle together, whispering secrets, made me feel a surge of happiness.

“──Your complexion looks a bit better.”

Runa came over to me and crumbled the shaved ice in her hand.

“Did I look that awful?”

“Well, yes. You probably wouldn’t realise yourself.”

“Oh, I see.”

I pressed my hand to my cheek. Had I been that tired?

“Do you feel refreshed?”

“Yeah. I reckon I’ve already got my money’s worth out of the trip.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.”

Perhaps thanks to the ample (by our standards) exercise and soaking in the hot springs, her body felt a little lighter.

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Runa scooped up a mouthful of Blue Hawaii shaved ice with a straw that had an open tip. She popped it straight into my mouth.
A droplet of ice slid down my throat.

“…Listen. Really…”

　Runa started to say something, then hesitated and closed her mouth.
Her gaze darted left and right.
But then, as if she’d made up her mind, she said:

“──Are you really planning to move in with that girl?”

“Huh?”

“Ah. No, that’s not it. Or is it? It’s not that it’s not it…”

“Runa…?”

“Sorry.”

I nodded vaguely at her unclear apology.

“It’s not jealousy or lingering feelings or anything like that. It’s just… she seems a bit… dangerous to watch.”

“Dangerous?”

“That girl. Ibara-chan.”

“Dangerous? What about her?”

My voice came out more sharp than I’d intended.
　Runa lowered her eyebrows, looking somewhat troubled.

“But that girl, she’s completely dependent on Ame, isn’t she?”

“Dependent? That’s an exaggeration.”

“Really?”

The words I’d intended to say – ‘Of course’ – wouldn’t come out.
Dependent. Dependent, huh.
To say I didn’t recognise the feeling would be a lie.

“It’s just… watching her, she reminds me a bit of myself back then.”

Runa’s gaze flicked towards Ibara.
The princess in her yukata was chattering excitedly with Shizuku, eyeing up the next food stall.

“It’s like the whole world revolves around just Ame.”

“What on earth?”

“That feeling you get. Isn’t that just dependence, really?”

“Am I some kind of dangerous drug or something?”

It was meant as a joke, but Runa didn’t laugh.
Keeping a straight face, she nodded slightly.

“Yes. Ame’s kindness is addictive. Especially for lonely girls.”

“Addictive? That’s…”

“It means it’s that compelling. Once you’re fully immersed, your perspective gradually narrows until all you can see is Ame.”

I wanted to laugh it off, to say there’s no way that’s true.
But remembering Ibara’s expression, I couldn’t quite manage a smile.

“Ibara is strong-willed. Not that you aren’t, Runa.”

“I know. But right now, it’s an important time for both of us, isn’t it?”

Somehow, Runa’s eyes sharpened.

“It’s going to get tougher from here on. Ame, you’ve never negotiated with clients before, have you? About prices, retake counts… Not everyone will be a good customer. They might try to take advantage, or worse, it could even be dangerous.”

“…I know. I’ll be fine.”

“I agreed because I believed you could handle it. But—”

Runa spoke with solemn earnestness.

“When I say ‘you can handle it’, I don’t mean it’ll be easy. It won’t be. But I mean you’ll find a way through it.”

“…Yeah.”

I hadn’t underestimated the act of going independent.
　But having it thrust upon me like this by a friend walking ahead made it feel rather heavy.
I thought I understood that reality wasn’t a fairy tale.
Seeing my expression, Runa hurriedly said.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Even if it’s tough, I think Ame can do it. But—”

“But?”

“Ibara-chan… might be different.”

“Eh?”

“I mean, do you really think that girl can focus on her exams while she’s with Ame? Won’t she just be worrying about Ame’s health and the housework and all that?”

“…………Well, that’s…”

Indeed, that might be true.

“At first, I thought she seemed quite responsible. But just now, talking to the two of you, I got the feeling she only has Ame on her mind.”

“…………. “

“If you live together, Ibara-chan will definitely prioritise Ame over her own exams. Is that really okay with you?”

“……But Ibara-chan can’t sleep without me…”

She can’t sleep.
So what can you do?

“I’ve been wondering about this for ages. Is that really true?”

“Eh?”

Runa repeated it, as if chewing it over.

“Ibara-chan, she really still can’t sleep alone?”